Canada takes on the defending champion United States in a battle of unbeaten teams Tuesday at the CONCACAF Women's Under-17 Championship.
Having both beaten Puerto Rico and Panama, the North American rivals are already assured of a semifinal berth at the eight-team tournament that is taking place at the well-appointed headquarters of the Mexican Football Federation in Toluca.
But first place in Group B is on the line. The U.S. currently sits first in the standings with a better goal difference (plus-15 compared to plus-nine), thanks to its opening 13-0 win over Panama.
After play Tuesday, the two group winners and runners-up advance to the knockout stage. The semifinal winners qualify for the 2024 FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup that kicks off in October in the Dominican Republic.
Mexico and Haiti met later Monday to decide top spot in Group A, having both already beaten Costa Rica and El Salvador.
Canada coach Emma Humphries said her team is "excited and up for" the challenge of facing the U.S.
"We'll obviously have to have one eye on what comes next (in the semifinal) but we're going to give that (U.S.) game a good crack too," said Humphries, a former New Zealand international who is married to Canada women's coach Bev Priestman.
"Look, they're quality. They're the No. 1 team in the world," she added.
Canada opened with a 5-0 win over Puerto Rico on Friday before defeating Panama 5-1 Sunday.
The U.S. has won five of the seven CONCACAF U-17 championships held to date, including the last three. Canada won the title in 2010 and Mexico in 2013.
Canada captain Annabelle Chukwu has been a standout at the tournament, with four goals in two games — with three of those goals coming in a 14-minute sequence in the first half against Puerto Rico.
"She actually doesn't care if it's her scoring the goals or if it's someone else. That's genuine. She's such a team player," said Humphries.
"She is the most intelligent player I've ever worked with at youth level," she added. "She's just growing and growing every game."
Twin sister Isabelle Chukwu has been kept out after picking up a minor injury at a pre-tournament camp but is expected to see action.
The Chukwus, who turns 17 on Thursday, were born in England but moved to Ottawa with their family when they were nine.
While Humphries used nine of the same starters in the first two matches, she has made good use of her bench with 19 players seeing action. And she made changes early in the win over Puerto Rico, with Anabelle Chukwu and two others exiting at halftime.
"Everyone who has been available has got in," said Humphries.
In contrast, U.S. coach Katie Schoepfer made nine changes to her starting lineup for Sunday's game with Puerto Rico.
American midfielder Kennedy Fuller, who scored five goals against Panama, did not play Sunday. Forward Alex Pfeiffer, who had three goals against Panama, played 26 minutes, and Mya Townes, who scored twice against Panama, played the second half.
The U.S. roster features two 16-year-old pros in midfielder Melanie Barcenas (San Diego Wave) and Pfeiffer (Kansas City Current).
The CONCACAF U-17 championship usually sends three teams to the FIFA U-17 World Cup. But only two will qualify from this year's event because the Dominican Republic, a CONCACAF member, is hosting the soccer showcase.
Canada has appeared in all seven previous editions of the FIFA U-17 World Cup, with a fourth-place finish in 2018 its best showing. The Canadian women finished 12th last time out in India in 2022 when they failed to advance out of the group stage with an 0-1-2 record.
CONCACAF covers North and Central America and the Caribbean.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 5, 2024.
Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press
